Keys for a Colorado State Win Against Utah

As the Mountain West Conference front-runner Utah Utes (18-7, 9-2) come to Colorado State this evening, they will match up against an improving but inconsistent Rams team.

I have outlined below three keys for Colorado State’s (8-17, 3-8) success tonight:

1.   The Rams need to stop Utah’s inside force in 7-foot-2 center Luke Nevill. The senior is pacing the Utes’ offense this season with 17.1 points per game while also leading the conference with 8.1 rebounds a contest.

     Last meeting between Nevill and the Rams, the seven-footer tallied 19 points while also pulling down seven boards. Teams have been known to double- or even triple-team Nevill this season.

     Utah has just one other player averaging double figures, Lawrence Borha (11.8), so using an extra man down low to prevent Nevill is a key component.

2.   The Rams need to focus on long-range shots. The Rams are a .351 shooting team from beyond the arc on the season, but have multiple facets that can contribute big numbers when hot.

     Last meeting at Utah, junior Harvey Perry put up a career-high 15 points on 4-of-6 shooting from three-point range.

     However, the Rams’ biggest offensive components lay in the hands of the freshman Jesse Carr and senior Marcus Walker. The players are averaging 8.8 and 15.6 points per game, respectively.

     Carr has gotten hot as of late, averaging 13.7 points per contest during a six-game stretch starting in Utah last month and lasting through Feb. 7.

     The Rams’ inside game is inconsistent, with center Dan Vandervieren missing eight of the past 10 games due to back spasms and Colorado State’s other center, Mame Bocar Ba, averaging just 1.8 points in 11 minutes on the season. Nevill blocked six Colorado State shots in the schools' last meeting.

3.   The Rams need to start the scoring early, play consistently for 40 minutes and limit the turnovers. It sounds basic, but it is something that Rams fans haven’t seen often this year, but when it does happen, there is a quality product on the court.

     Last home game, the Rams beat TCU 71-65 thanks to a combined 36 points from the duo of Carr and Walker. Colorado State turned the ball over just three times in the win.

     The Rams played Utah tough in Salt Lake City last month despite the final score, 82-66. The teams were tied at the break, and the deficit was just five midway through the second half.

Overall, it won’t be easy for the inconsistent Rams to pull off a win against a Utah team that is receiving votes in both the AP and ESPN/USA Today polls.